Birthday
by Inexorable
Summary: For us, birthdays are joyous occasions that remind us of our birth. For Kumo, it just serves as a reminder of the pain he's gone through over the years. No pairings, one shot


Disclaimer: I don't own so you don't sue!

Have fun reading it, try not to cry too much for Kumo, and we'll see each other again after the fic!

* * *

Today was his sixteenth birthday.

Finally, his parents accepted the fact that he was no longer a child anymore and didn't have to be treated as one. It was refreshing to do anything without his parents watching his every move. Not only was it embarrassing, but it gave him a feeling of uselessness. Like he couldn't do anything without someone there to help.

But that wasn't even the best part. The best part was that his brother came home to visit. He had been gone for a long time, training with the weapon master of their village, but he came back just for him.

Just for his sixteenth birthday.

His mother prepared a feast for dinner with all of his favorite foods in it. People in his village stopped him and wished him a happy birthday. Some even gave him presents. The village elder had blessed him. But he didn't care about any of that. He only cared about what his brother did for him.

His brother gave him a sword as a birthday present.

It was beautiful in every way, and perfect. Well, of course it was. His _brother_ gave it to him. Anything his brother gave him would be considered as beautiful and perfect.

Just like the person.

Kumo already knew he would treasure the sword forever.

It was his sixteenth birthday today.

It was the best day of his life.

* * *

Today was his seventeenth birthday.

There were no birthday blessings, nor had his mother cooked for him.

Even if there was, he wouldn't have cared.

A creature known as Chaos attacked his village today. Many were dead, some were dying, and few were alive.

Among those who were dead were his best friends and…

…And his brother.

He had watched it all, watched as his brother tried protecting their village and died in the effort. He had died from the flames. He had died not ten feet away from him. And he only stood and watched the most important person of his life die…

His mother had come then, trying to take him away before he got killed too.

But he didn't care. His brother was dead. He should be dead. Why wasn't he dead too?

Today was his seventeenth birthday…

…And the worst day of his life.

* * *

Today was his eighteenth birthday.

Somehow, he had survived the attack on his world…He survived, and escaped to the Inner World…a place where all the worlds Chaos destroyed was connected.

As far as he could tell, he was the only survivor from the attack.

His friends dead, his parents dead…

And his brother…

Yet, he wasn't dead. Whether it was fate or chance, he didn't know. Nor did he care.

Because now he had a second chance…A second chance to take revenge on those who killed his brother.

And a few weeks ago, he had heard a rumor of where those who destroyed his village were. He had followed the rumor and it had led him to _them_. Faking sincerity, he pledged his life to the Count, the alter ego of Chaos.

They had accepted him into his ranks.

It was easy.

Too easy.

So, he wasn't surprised when the strange, limbless creature—Oscar, was it?—came to him, saying that he had to pass a test in order to gain the trust of "his Excellency".

He had agreed and followed Oscar out of Gaudium.

He was surprised when the test was to kill a family that had opposed the Count. A mother, a father, a daughter, and a son…

Well, maybe he shouldn't have been surprised.

Kumo shouldn't have killed them.

He did anyway.

Their blood stained his hands…

And the Count, the damn Count…

He had been extremely pleased with Kumo's loyalty.

It was his birthday today.

It also marked his descent into darkness.

* * *

Today was his nineteenth birthday.

The Count had been so pleased with his "loyalty" lately that he ordered Kumo to be at the front of the attack on a new world he wanted to devour—Windaria.

He had fought along with the Count's army. Fighting, killing, maiming…He wasn't exactly sure how many he had killed. Those he killed started screaming "Makenshi! Makenshi! Demon swordsman!"

It wasn't until he had passed a puddle of water did he finally understand why they has bestowed the name on him.

Blood dripped down from his hair, soaking in his clothes and his skin. His eyes glowed wildly, filled with a touch of insanity.

Kumo had immediately rushed away from the puddle.

He pushed the image far back into his mind. Why should he care what other people thought of him? All that mattered was his revenge against Chaos…

He went back into the fray, killing again. As he fought, he passed a male with long, brown hair and cold blue eyes…

They had startled him with the intense hatred found in the blue depths…

But, before long, the fighting pushed him away from the man and he was thrown out of his mind…

After all, Kumo wouldn't ever see him again…right?

It didn't matter.

Today was his birthday.

Today was the day he killed hundreds of people without remorse…

* * *

Today was his birthday.

He didn't know how old he was. He had lost count years ago, when he began his descent into darkness.

And anyway, the years blurred together in a meaningless jumble. He killed and fought for the Count, but never for himself. Never had he raised his sword against the Count.

He was becoming a puppet.

He knew it. And so did the other inhabitants of Gaudium.

So they tested the puppet's loyalty.

They revived Kiri.

Kumo didn't know what Oscar had told his brother, but a strange light had been in those red eyes of his.

Kiri had challenged Kumo and the two fought.

And then Kumo killed his brother.

Again, his brother's life slipped away…And this time was just so much worse, because he had truly killed him this time. He wasn't just a bystander anymore; he took his sword and destroyed the last shred of his brother's life.

He had returned to Gaudium to find them wearing mocking smiles on their faces. They had dared him to overstep his boundaries when they revived his brother, and they were pleased to find that Kumo was as loyal to them as always.

It made Kumo enraged just thinking about it.

A perfect little puppet, wasn't he?

He would never overstep his boundaries, isn't that right?

Well, Kumo would prove them wrong now. They overstepped _their_ boundaries when they revived his brother and made the two brothers fight against each other.

They would pay now.

Today was Kumo's birthday.

He vowed that from this day forward, he would take his revenge on the Gaudium inhabitants, until they were all dead.

* * *

Was today his birthday?

Kumo didn't know.

He thought it was. One year since they had revived his brother and made them fight each other.

Yes, today must be his birthday.

And it was the best birthday he had in a long time.

After all…he had finally gotten his revenge today. Along with Kaze, the brunette he passed in Windaria so many years ago, they destroyed Chaos and all of his lackeys.

It left Kumo with a peaceful feeling.

True, his life was ebbing away…and he could barely make out shapes in his failing vision…But he was at peace. For years he had been hurting from working under the Count.

But now…never again would he have to follow their orders.

And never again would other worlds feel the same pain as he did.

No more worlds would be devoured.

No more lives would be lost.

Kumo smiled. The numbness blanketing his senses blocked out any pain he would have felt from turning his soul into Mist or from the sword wound in his stomach.

It was having euphoric effects on him.

He felt light-weighted, as if he could fly. All the worries he had taken on to his shoulders fell away, making him feel as relaxed as he felt on his sixteenth birthday.

His vision was clearing up. He could see again.

But he wasn't in the world of the living anymore. He had passed on without even knowing it.

But he didn't mind. Because now, he can see friends that have died so many years ago…his parents who had been one of the last ones to die that fateful night…Kiri, his beloved brother…and even Kaze…

He was dead, but he was happy. He was reunited with the people he loved and the people who had lost.

Today was Kumo's birthday.

Today, Kumo died.

But today, Kumo was the happiest he had ever been in a long, long time.

Owarimasu

* * *

If you're all the way down here, I'm happy that you've read through my fic! Review and make my ego swell to the size of a small planet. XD 


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